Why Choose the Foundation Pathway for studying Pharmacy

Why Choose the Foundation Pathway for studying Pharmacy

Pharmacy is a popular degree pathway and career for international students studying in Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe. A Pharmacy degree is perfect for students interested in chemistry and how medicine assists patients’ with their condition. Graduates can pursue careers in a range of settings from a local pharmacy or drug store processing prescriptions to working as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a complex hospital setting – either way, a career in pharmacy is ideal for those interested in health sciences.

Pharmacy qualifications generally last for four years in the UK or five years in Ireland. During your degree, you will study modules in pharmacology, biology and physiology pharmaceutics, chemistry, ethics and economics. And, in many undergraduate programme, students will also benefit from work placements within the industry to provide valuable insights and professional experience. So, it’s easy to see why Pharmacy is a challenging degree for international students to achieve a place in.

So why should you consider studying the Foundation pathway with DIFC to progress to study Pharmacy?

Exceptional preparation for your Pharmacy degree

Improve your English language skills to the standard required for undergraduate study

Develop your academic skills and knowledge in key subject areas

Equip you with the necessary study and social skills to succeed in your international studies

Orientate you to Western study principles

From an academic perspective, you will study subjects in English, Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology. These are at an equivalent standard to A Levels. However, the International Foundation Year places a strong focus on your preparation for studying at university so you will be better equipped to handle things on your own during your undergraduate studies.

There is no better preparation for your studies abroad. The whole team at DIFC from your classroom teachers and tutors to student services and Placement Manager, will all be working closely with you to support you in your studies to help you to achieve your goals.

Partnerships with leading Universities

Trying to determine the best places to study Pharmacy can be a daunting task. But, as NCUK’s exclusive study centre in Ireland, DIFC has done all the hard work for you!

By choosing the Foundation pathway, you will have access to study Pharmacy at one of 13 university partners across Ireland, UK and mainland Europe. Each Pharmacy degree has its own unique benefits and during your time with DIFC, we will help you to assess your options. We do this by giving you the opportunity to meet the university representatives at our annual University Counselling Fair, as well as arranging visits to our Irish university partners.

For student’s whose budget is limited for university tuition fees, DIFC also provides pathways to Lithuania Medical University who offer lower tuition fees due to the cheaper cost of living in Lithuania. Tuition Fees for Pharmacy are €6,000 per year.

Therefore, by choosing the Foundation pathway, Year 11 students save an extra year, which would normally be spent studying English to achieve the required IELTS score for entry to a Pharmacy degree. But, not only that, they will be much better prepared for their university studies.

The following NCUK partners accept Year 11 students from Vietnam or India once successfully completing the NCUK International Foundation Year with DIFC:

Liverpool John Moores University

Kingston University

University of Huddersfield

University of Bradford

Scholarships available for International Students

Another benefit of the Foundation Year pathway is that is can open up access to exclusive scholarships both with DIFC and the wider partner network – particularly with NCUK university partners.

For the 2017/18 Academic Year, DIFC is offering the following scholarships for Pharmacy pathway students:

€2,000 Scholarship for students studying in DIFC’s Cork centre

€1,600 Scholarship for students studying in DIFC’s Dublin Centre

In terms of university scholarships, these tend to change each academic year and are, generally, linked to academic excellence in your Foundation studies. Examples of 2017 awarded are below:

Ireland

University College Cork

20% off Tuition Fees

UK

University of Bradford

£3,000 off Tuition Fees

University of Huddersfield

£2,000 off Tuition Fees

Kingston University

£4,000 off Tuition Fees

University of Manchester

£2,000 off Tuition Fees

Some scholarships are automatic and others require students to submit an application. During your studies at DIFC, we will assist you in researching what scholarships are available and support you in any necessary applications.

Choose from Two Intakes

DIFC offers two intakes each year for students to start their Pharmacy Foundation pathway – September and January. Both options allow students to progress onto their Pharmacy degree the following September.